London Marathon Race Report: A Bittersweet Experience

Going into the 2007 Flora London Marathon, it never occurred to me that I might not finish the race, because my training was excellent. I prepared for this marathon more than for any other race in my career. With the lessons learned from my previous 8 marathons, I felt confident that I had a great foundation for a breakthrough performance at London. I had my longest period of consecutive altitude training under my belt (Jan. 17 – April 8). As always, Coach Bob Larsen and I fine-tuned some of our workouts to achieve greater preparation for the specific upcoming marathon. 

Everything was on target in my marathon buildup until the blister problem I encountered after the Gate River Run in mid-March. Though I needed medical attention for the infamous blister, I never stopped training. I had already missed an opportunity to participate in the Flora London Marathon in 2005, so I was very motivated to accept the chance to race it this year. Throughout my preparation period, I only missed two days of training. Anytime I had difficulty running, I would use cross-training as a supplement. Cross-training usually works very well for me, and I maintained confidence in my fitness as a result of impressive responses in previous marathons, such as the ING New York City Marathon in 2005, when I ran 2:09:56.

 

My goal in running London was always to make a significant improvement on my marathon PR, 2:09:53. This goal hit an obstacle when the blister on my left foot flared up at mile 9 or 10 in the London Marathon. The pounding of the feet and the heat combined to irritate the already sensitive blister. My first thought was to run through the pain. At mile 10 we were running at 2:07 pace, so I was very motivated to keep running because a PR was definitely within my reach. But the pain became more severe, and it started to affect my running form. Then the Achilles tendon on my right foot began tightening up. At that point, it looked like I was out of the running for a victory, but I still could race for a good time. And that's what I decided to do.

Six miles later, I had to change plans, because I felt I could not afford further injury to my Achilles tendon. It wasn't an easy decision to make. For the previous 6 miles I had been running with a single goal: to get past the blister pain and Achilles tightness and still achieve a PR. But before long, even this was impossible. I realized I wouldn't be able to break 2:10 and, as a veteran runner, I decided that finishing the race was not worth the risk of further and severe injury. 

I learned this lesson the hard way after my injury at the 2005 IAAF World Outdoor Championships. I was in the best shape of my life (for the 10,000) and looking to run in the low 27 minute range, if not below. When my quad started to tighten, I kept running in the hopes that it would go away. I ended up running 2 or 3 laps more than I should have, thus making the injury more severe. I eventually did drop out of that race, but not before I had a severe tear in my quad. This injury took a lot of time out of my preparation for another marathon. With the 2008 USA Men's Marathon Trials just around the corner (well, in Nov.), I felt that this kind of prolonged injury and recovery was not something I could afford as I prepare to make the 2008 US Olympic Team.

 

A lot has been made of the weather conditions in London. I actually run well in hot weather conditions, as can be seen by my performance in Athens. The weather may have contributed to the flaring of the blister, but otherwise it was not a problem for me.

 

Despite my unexpected DNF, the London Marathon experience was a positive one overall. My Running USA teammate Ryan Hall ran a great debut. Ryan trained hard and consistently for a very long time. He deserved the performance he got, because he worked hard and smart in his preparation. It all culminated in a great overall race and time for him. In addition to Ryan’s success, my London experience will be very memorable because of all the people I had the opportunity to interact with. 

 

 

 

Worst part of the week: Not finishing the marathon. This was the first marathon that I did not finish. In the past, I've been able to overcome my marathon challenges. For example, in the 2006 ING NYC Marathon, some people say I shouldn’t have even started the marathon because of some food-related stomach problems I had. But despite having to take Pepto Bismol at the starting line, I was able to finish the marathon without risking further injury. At London, I didn't make it to the finish line, and I have to admit that I don't like the feeling of not finishing.

 

 

 

Best part of the week: The overall London Marathon experience was great, despite my DNF. The field was amazing, and I am glad to consider a lot of the competitors good friends. Throughout the last few months, my wife, Yordanos, and I really got to spend a lot of quality time with Ryan and Sara Hall. So we are very happy for the whole Hall family. We also got to spend time with Khalid Khannouchi, Felix Limo, Hendrick Ramaala, Paul Tergat, Stefano Baldini, Haile, and many other athletes. They are all great people.

Reporting from London

On Thursday, April 12, I arrived in England.  Coach Larsen and I decided it would be best to arrive early in order to acclimate to the time zone and weather conditions of London.  Arriving ten days before race day should do the job. The race officials for the Flora London Marathon have been great in allowing us the most flexibility in our travel arrangements and accommodations.

The last week of training has been going well for me.  Here is what my training consisted of:
Monday:  Took the day off, due to a sore Achilles.
Tuesday: Had great mile sessions; 800m 2:30, 5X miles ranged from 4:38 to 4:47. These runs were done on the road and it was windy.
Wednesday: Went out for a one hour run at the San Diego Olympic Training Center before my departure for London.
Thursday: One hour run with Running USA teammate Ryan Hall in London.
Friday: 9-mile tempo in roughly 43:51.  The mile points were not marked, so the time is a rough estimate.
Saturday: 70- minute run.  I warmed up with Ryan Hall and I kept going while Ryan did his tempo run. 
Sunday: I ran some mile repeats that give me a good feeling exactly one week before the race day.

Overall, my training has gone well.  I am getting acclimated to London and am excited about the upcoming race.

Highlight of the week:  Our Daughter Sara flew her first international flight straight from LAX to London.  Sara was so good and didn't cry at all.

Lowlight of the week: Our studio in England is a little bit too small for Sara.  She is used to having a lot of room to roam, so the small space is a little limiting.

Run To Win,
Meb 

Training In Mammoth, At Altitude, Has Taken My Training To The Next Level

With exactly two weeks to go to the Flora London Marathon, I left my high altitude training camp in Mammoth for San Diego, my permanent residence and winter training base.  Altitude training has been a core part of my professional running career, and it's been very good to me.  Although I now consider Mammoth my second home, I didn't always feel that comfortable there.  I still remember the nervousness I felt when I first arrived there in 2001, with training partner Phillip Price.  Three weeks after my first period of altitude training in Mammoth, I broke the American Record in the 10k.  That result gave Coach Larsen and I the confirmation we needed regarding the benefits of high altitude training. 

Coach Larsen and I truly believe that altitude training works tremendously.  Of course altitude training will benefit some athletes more than others, but every athlete who is interested in taking their career to the next level ought to test it for him or herself.  The town of Mammoth has been very supportive of Team Running USA.  Not only does Mammoth have great trails to run on, but it also has facilities and services that are ideal for professional and recreational runners.  The Sierra Park Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Therapy Center (SPORT) is one of those facilities and service providers I rely on for all injury rehabilitation and healthy body maintenance.  In addition to the SPORT center, I have access to Andrew Kastor, Terrence Mahon, Gary Ochman and Jennifer Aloha, who all provide great and specialized physical therapy.

Overall, my training has been going well.  I have now cut down on the biking component, which was a great supplement to my running miles.  I am fighting a little soreness in my Achilles and calf, but a little soreness is part of running.  As always, I am working diligently with my support team to make sure it doesn't get any worse.

One of the best parts of my week was that my wife Yordanos and my daughter Sara were able to be in San Diego with me on Easter Sunday.  First of all, it is always great to be with family during a holiday.  Secondly, my family in San Diego hasn't had a chance to see Sara since she turned 1 year old in March.  So Sara was the center of attention, once again.

On Sunday, we also threw a surprise birthday party for my father who turned 70 years old last month.  Everyone who has met my father knows he is a very special person that has amazing strength, vision, faith and intelligence.  Along with my mother, he has defied the odds and helped his family do the same.  Now that the majority of the 11 children in my family are adults, we decided our dad's birthday was a perfect opportunity to recognize both of our parents' relentless and heroic efforts.    

Lowlight of the week: The drive from Mammoth to San Diego.  I felt like I spent the majority of the day in the car and that was not fun. 

Highlights of the week:  In addition to the great family experiences described above, I got to see my sister-in-law who is pregnant with twins!  On a different, but still bright note, I signed a two-year contract with PowerBar.  I have used PowerBar since college, so I am thrilled to continue the relationship!  Finally, I was reunited with my Team Running USA teammates in San Diego.  We have all been preparing for months for the challenges and opportunities that are now only days away.

Run To Win,
Meb 

That Final Four, Florida vs UCLA, Was So Depressing

It is hard to believe that there are only three weeks remaining before the Flora London Marathon. I’ve spent the last few days finalizing the travel arrangements for my trip to London. I guess this is a sure sign that the London Marathon is just around the corner. The race organizers have been very supportive of all my needs, and being a detail oriented person, I know I don’t make it too easy for them. Like all good race organizers, the London Marathon officials recognize that an elite athlete must feel comfortable with his or her travel and accommodations, especially prior to such a significant race.

This week, I got a nice addition to my support team for the Flora London Marathon. My good friend Rich Levy came up to Mammoth to help me in the last stages of my preparation. My friendship with Rich has an interesting background. Rich’s son, David Levy, was one of my toughest competitors in high school and attended Mission Bay High School (where he was a teammate of my college teammate and roommate Devin Elizondo). Throughout the years I became very good friends with David and his family. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from Rich is to have fun running. I know this is one of the reasons I have had a long and successful career, because I enjoy running, and the process of getting better. 

For the last couple of years, Rich has helped pace me during workouts in San Diego and Mammoth. With the departure of my pacer, Mario Arce, from Mammoth Lakes, Rich Levy has stepped up to fill a void in my training. Having him pace me on a bike is priceless, because he provides me with the pace and support necessary to get the most out of my workout. Rich is an example of the people who work behind the scenes to make sure I am as prepared as possible to perform well under the spotlight provided by the world’s biggest races.

In addition to fine tuning my training, I am also spending some time researching the recent results of my competitors. I don’t worry too much about what and how my competitors have been training for the last few months. But at the same time, it is important for me to know what types of results my competitors have achieved immediately before the Flora London Marathon. 

Lowlight of the week: On Saturday night, I had to watch the UCLA Basketball team lose to Florida for the second year in a row. The last time UCLA won the NCAA Championships was during my freshman year.  Ever since then, I have had a special relationship with the UCLA basketball program. One of my favorite experiences was meeting and chatting with Coach John Wooden. The loss on Saturday just shows that UCLA is still missing some element that is keeping it from being a Championship team.  Hopefully we’ll have that by next year.

Highlight of the Week: My workouts and time with Rich Levy have been great experiences. I’ve had awesome discovery bike rides with Rich in Mammoth, and it has allowed me to appreciate the beauty of Mammoth Lakes. Additionally, I’ve had the special treat of listening to Rich and Coach Larsen talk about all the track eras and coaching philosophies. So I’m training hard, having fun, and learning a lot.

Getting To The Finish Line Faster

The Flora London Marathon is four weeks away.  The reason I chose to run the London Marathon this year is to give myself the best shot at running a faster time.  This will be the first time after the 2004 Olympics that I am competing on a flat course.  The only other time that I ran a marathon on a flat course was the Chicago Marathon in 2003, which I ran conservatively to get the “A” qualifier for the Olympics (2:12:00). 

I have consistently run the marathon in the late 2:09 range (2:10.03, 2:09.53, 2:09.56 and 2:09.56).  In these four marathons, my finishing times have been within 10 seconds of each other.  Some may think it would be frustrating for me to run in this range continuously.  Well, this is not a frustration for me.  I take it as a sign of consistency to run those times and place very high in the biggest marathons in the world.   Coach Bob Larsen and I work together to be able to produce these times and results.  For me it is great to be competitive in races, like I have done in the ING New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon.  On the other hand, I want to give myself a good chance to run fast on a flat course, like London.  I know I have faster times within me, and running the Flora London Marathon will give me the chance to show it.   

There are a couple of things that are missing in my running resume.  The first is to win a major marathon and second is to run a faster time in the marathon.  In order to run your best marathon time, you have to be on a flat course.   I also have been working hard in my preparation and staying healthy.  In preparation of breaking the 2:09 barrier for the marathon, I have not changed too much.  If I am in the same shape as when I ran the 2:09.56 in New York and Boston I definitely should run much faster in London.  In terms of workouts I have been doing very similar things with a couple of additions.  I was running only once a day and not exceeding 100 miles a week.  However, in my preparation for London I’ve been averaging more than 100 miles a week (prior to Gate River Run).   I’ve also been doing 3 mile repeats whereas before the longest repeats were 2 miles.  Running on a fast course doesn’t always guarantee a fast time but with smart training and staying healthy, I am sure I will get to the finish line faster. 

High point of the week:  Seeing my blister heal up and new skin develop.  The blister has limited my running, and I’ve been doing a lot of cross training. 

Low point of the week: Staying on a stationary bike for two hours at a time and feeling soreness in my back.

Winning My Sixth Gate River 15K Was Far From Easy

Six weeks prior to the Flora London Marathon, I competed in the USATF 15K Championships in Jacksonville, FL--a race better known as the Gate River Run. This year’s edition of the race was very special for me. Last year’s race was unique because I won the race only 3 days after the birth of my first (and only…thus far) daughter Sara. This year, I had the opportunity to arrive in Jacksonville almost a week prior to the race, as opposed to the night before.

On Tuesday of race week, I was inducted into the Gate River Run Hall of Fame. It is a great honor for me to be inducted to into a Hall of Fame while I am still competing in my prime. Additionally, I joined Bill Rodgers and Todd Williams in the Gate River Run Hall of Fame, so it was great having them at the induction ceremony. I appreciate and respect all of the great runners that paved the way and have helped inspire and guide my running career. This includes Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Craig Virgin, Ron Tabb, Todd Williams, Bob Kennedy and of course Joan Benoit Samuelson.

I also appreciate and respect the many friends and competitors in the sport today that motivate me to be the best that I can be. The Gate River Run Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was a great opportunity for me to reflect on the progress I have made in my life and running career, and to thank all those people who have helped me along the way. This includes my family, friends, fans, teammates, coaches, media, sponsors and race organizers.  As I’ve said before, the Olympic Silver Medal I won in Athens 2004 was the result of the efforts of Team Meb. I am only the face of the team, and I know I did not get here alone.

My victory in the Gate River Run 15K on Saturday morning was hard fought and very rewarding for me. Because I've been logging a lot of mileage in my marathon training, the first three miles felt fast! I was a little out of my comfort zone, and it was challenging to stay with Ryan Hall and Fasil Bizuneh, who were setting the pace. But I knew I had to. It was only way to stay in contention for another victory in Jacksonville, which I had won five times previously.

Once I got into my rhythm, I got more aggressive and put a move on the field. While I hoped to break Tood Williams's course record, and also wanted to chase Deena, who got a women's "head start" over me, priority number one was even more important--to win the race. When I crossed the finish line ahead of all the other men, that reaffirmed to me that my preparation for the Flora London Marathon is going well.

Sure, there was a lot of hype about one of us breaking Todd Williams’s course record, but I think we all now realize it won't be easy to run faster than his 42:22 at Gate River. Deena ran away with the Equalizer Bonus, and did so convincingly. But for me, I was and am very happy and relieved to defend my title and win my sixth Gate River Run.  Thanks to the Jacksonville Track Club and Gate Petroleum for a wonderful week in Jacksonville.

Worst Moment of the Week: Finding a nasty blister on my left foot after the Gate River Run.

Best Moment of The Week: Winning my 6th Gate River Run, and being greeted at the finish line by my wife (Yordanos) and daughter (Sara). To celebrate my victory and Sara’s 1st birthday, we had family and friends over for lunch and cake.